So far, Nissan's entry into the increasingly popular crossover market has consisted of one model—M the midsize Murano. That changes this year with the introduction of the smaller Rogue. It's based on a lengthened and beefed-up version of the Sentra's C platform and should provide some healthy competition for longtime mainstream leaders such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Compared to those models, the Rogue is longer in both wheelbase and overall length, but it's also narrower and has less room inside for cargo and people (click here for video of our ultimate crossover trunk test).

Under the hood, the Rogue gets the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder as the Altima. But here it's tuned to produce 170 hp. Like the Altima, the Rogue's engine sits lower in the bay so that the half-shafts sit more level. On the road, this new crossover is actually quite torquey and quick off the line, without a hint of the dreaded torque steer. And all Rogues come mated exclusively to a CVT transmission that Nissan says provides a fuel economy edge of around 4 to 5 percent over a four-speed automatic. CVTs have a tendency to create a droning engine note at wide-open throttle, and when merging on the freeway, it's noticeable in the Rogue. Still, it's less intrusive than other vehicles we've driven recently. Chalk that up to Nissan's CVT tuning expertise: Ours had paddle shifters, which were a blast to use, helping to simulate the feel of a normal stepped transmission. Flick the paddle shifters, and the vehicle shifts are quick and smooth.

Our SL model has the 225/60R17 tires that, from the seat of the pants, provided more grip than many small crossovers in this class. The downside, of course, is that the ride was a bit stiff over the rough roads. But the Rogue is quite frisky and fun to hustle through traffic. And on a smooth and snaky mountain road, it's even better. Rogues come standard with traction control and VSC—but we never needed them.

The Rogue's fairly aggressive profile comes from the design team at Nissan Design America in San Diego. The look is hip—unlike some in the class that tend to look a little bloated (we're not going to name any names). The only downside to this taut, sporty bodywork is that the rear window is so small as to compromise visibility.

Inside, the Rogue has some thoughtful touches. The pop-up cargo organizer behind the rear seat has detachable partitions and a washable bin for dirty stuff. And the glovebox is massive—about double the size you'd find in many small SUVs.

Overall, the Rogue is a fun, sporty and cool-looking compact crossover. Look for it in Nissan stores in mid-September, with the two-wheel-drive S model starting under $20,000. —Ben Stewart